8063

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8063
• Author: Colorado River Fish and Wildlife Council.
• Title: Minutes, Colorado River Fish and Wildlife Council - April 22-23, 1998.
• USFW Year: 1998.
• USFW - Doc Type: Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Copyright Material: NO

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These goals address different stages of ANS invasion: 1) the introduction of nonindigenous
species transported from water bodies from other parts of the continent or world; 2) the spread of
an established, reproducing ANS population to other water bodies and 3) the colonization of
ANS populations within water bodies, including the harmful impacts resulting from colonization.
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLORADO RIVER FISH AND WILDLIFE COUNCIL
(Note: Need to insert a brief description of the CRFWC, probably should not exceed 2 pages)
OTHER ANS EFFORTS IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN
(Note: Need to insert a descriptions of the ANS efforts in the member states. Are there states which currently are
developing a state ANS plan? Statutes and regulations should be referenced here as well as referencing an
appendix where the actual statutes and regulations will be included Examples include restrictions on bait fish use
and importation and restrictions on private and public aquaculture regarding fish disease and movement.)
NONINDIGENOUS AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES BACKGROUND
(Note: The following text is suggested information for use in the introduction of each state's management plan.
Each state should use this material, as appropriate, and add additional state-specific information, as available. The
text from the model plan was used and?? were inserted where more information is needed The Great Lakes
examples were left in here, we need to identify Colorado River Basin examples and decide if we should delete these
or leave them in. The first 5 paragraphs can probably stay with a few minor edits)
The introduction of nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species into the Colorado River Basin and
inland state waters is a source of biological pollution that threatens not only the ecology of the
region and states' water resources, but also the economic, societal and public health conditions of
the region and states. The water resources of the Colorado River Basin region are an integral
part of activities such as recreation and tourism valued at $?? billion annually, $?? billion of
which is related to the fishing industry. Approximately ?? jobs are supported by sport fisheries
and commercial fisheries provide an additional ?? jobs (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1995).
The Colorado River Basin region has been subject to the invasion of aquatic nuisance species
since the settlement of the region by Europeans. Since the 1800s, at least ?? nonindigenous
aquatic organisms have colonized habitats of the Colorado River Basin ecosystem. The bulk of
these species include: plants (??), fish (??), algae (??), mollusks (??) and oligochaetes (??).
About ?? percent of these species are native to Eurasia; ?? percent are native to the Atlantic
Coast. Although the obvious impacts of some of the most abundant species are being
determined, most of the aquatic nuisance species and their direct and indirect impacts are not
known.
As use of the Colorado River Basin intensified the rate of introduction of aquatic nuisance
species also increased. More than ?? of the organisms have been introduced in the past 30 years.
Other human activities contributing to the transport and dispersal of aquatic nuisance species in
the Colorado River Basin and inland waters include movement or intentional release of
DRAFT ANS Plan for CRFWC (April 23-24, 1998) Page 2

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